The present invention relates to methods of improving quality of grass, particularly turfgrass, and relieving stress on grass and to compositions suitable therefor.
Phthalocyanines are known pigments having many applications, such as colorants for inks and coatings and even for turfgrass paints. E.g., DE 2,511,077 and JP 03/221576. Copper phthalocyanine has been used, but only in combination with certain other active ingredients, for enhancing turf quality. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,804 describes a method of combating fungi and enhancing turf quality in turfgrass by applying in specific ratios certain phthalocyanines in combination with phosphorous acid or an alkaline earth metal salt thereof or with certain monoester salts of phosphorous acid. U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,852 describes a method of enhancing turf quality in turfgrass by applying in specific ratios certain phthalocyanines in combination with (i) phosphorous acid or an alkaline earth metal salt thereof or certain monoester salts of phosphorous acid and (ii) certain ethylene bisdithiocarbamate contact fungicides. U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,661 describes a method of treating bentgrass and enhancing turf quality by applying in specific ratios (i) certain monoester salts of phosphorous acid and (ii) a metallic ethylene bisdithiocarbamate contact fungicide. This patent also describes a specific composition containing a combination of aluminum tris(O-ethylphosphonate) (fosetyl-al) and a manganese-zinc ethylene bisdithiocarbamate complex (mancozeb) used in a form (i.e., FORE fungicide) believed to have contained an unknown amount of the phthalocyanine compound Pigment Blue 15.
It has now unexpectedly been found that the quality of grass, including turfgrass, can be improved by applying certain phthalocyanines in the substantial absence of the additional components mentioned above and at application rates that are lower than those typically used for coloring turfgrass.